Silence.
Ichiro looked at the corpse of Mathias.
''Your family has been avenged… Their greatest mistake was having you as a son.'' Ichiro turned around and walked away.
The spectators didn't cheer or applaud.
They only watched…
In silence.
But finally, the silence was broken.
Amy's voice came from the commentators' booth, ''Match over! Winner Kurogami Ichiro! Please, all four winners, gather on the arena!'''
Lock and Daniel started walking towards the arena where Ichiro was already waiting.
''Emma, go to the stage, there are fishes there.'' A dark-cloaked figure appeared next to Emma, who whispered in her ear.
Emma's eyes sparkled. She quickly stood up and started running towards the arena.
The dark-cloaked figure disappeared mysteriously.
Only Arkenthym and Leppercon managed to get a glimpse of him.
Soon, Ichiro, Lock, Daniel, and Emma were standing next to each other in the center arena.
Soon, a familiar girl appeared on the stage, it was Amy.
''Congratulations! Your four are the final fighters!'' Amy's cheerful voice rang in the ears of everyone.
Most of the spectators cheered, mostly for Lock, Daniel and Emma.
''Tomorrow will be the final matches, please go rest,'' Amy said with a sweet smile.
Ichiro instantly walked away.
''Watch your back, arrogant fuck!'' He heard Daniel's shout.
Ichiro smirked. He turned his head around and showed a middle finger, ''I am not arrogant, I am just better than you all.''
He saw Daniel's and Lock's faces becoming red in anger, but he had already left the arena.
A middle-aged man was already ready to show him the way.
''Congratulations.'' He said with a small bow. He turned around and started walking down the long corridors.
Soon, they arrived in his room with number 51.
''Rest well, tomorrow will be a long day.'' The middle-aged man said and started walking away.
Ichiro entered his room and closed the door with a slam.
He instantly fell down on his bed. He felt mentally exhausted.
''Phone… Phone!'' Ichiro facepalmed. He forgot his phone in the stadium. He quickly stood up and left his room.
He ran in the corridors and soon, he arrived at the stadium, which was completely empty.
He thought it was weird. He wasn't gone for long.
But, he ignored it and went into his seat.
There was his phone waiting. He grabbed it and opened it.
Instantly, the face of Azura appeared on the screen.
He sighed in relief and started walking back to his room.
But then he had goosebumps.
He felt like he was being watched. He spun around but didn't see anyone, not a single soul.
The whole stadium was eerily quiet.
''You are not very liked.'' A bone-chilling voice came behind him.
Ichiro widened his eyes and kicked behind him, but he only hit the air.
''Hehehe…'' A laughter of many echoed around Ichiro.
Ichiro looked around him but only saw the stadium, figures nowhere to be seen.
''Clowns making circus tricks? How cute.'' Ichiro said with a mocking look.
His words made the laughter stop.
Soon, 6 figures with dark cloaks and cold looks appeared.
''No wonder they wanted us to show your place…'' A young man in his 18s said with a cold look. He had jet black hair with grey eyes, and a pale face.
'I guess I went overboard…' Ichiro thought, but he didn't care much. He knows that these six were sent by other VIP visitors.
''You are nothing but a toy of entertainment, slave for the wealth. How dare you act arrogant in this paradise.'' A man in his 20s said with a face filled with anger.
''Paradise?'' Ichiro raised an eyebrow.
''This is obviously paradise.'' The man put his hands wide open, ''We are the privileged to be blessed in the presence of all VIP guests. You should be grateful that you even managed to be blessed in their presence. This was supposed to be your glorious moment of entertaining them, but you ruined it… Tsk, tsk.''
''HAHAHAHAHA!'' Ichiro roared in laughter.
''Is something funny…'' The man in his 20s asked with a voice cold enough to freeze hell.
''Yes… You guys are fucking ridiculous. I thought I had seen a fair share of clowns in my life, but oh man… My eyes have been truly opened.''
''You fucker.'' The six figures unsheathed their daggers, ''How dare mere slave insult us?!''
They lunged towards Ichiro with their daggers, ready to slice his head in half.
Ichiro didn't have his sword because he left them in his room… But, he doesn't need weapons to deal with these clowns.
*CRACK*
Ichiro stomped the ground powerfully, which caused the entire stadium to shake!
The six figures' postures became a mess.
[Iron Stomp - Earth Shaker]
The six figures stumbled around, trying to stabilize, and soon they managed to do it, but Ichiro already appeared in front of the man in his 20.
He put his hands on the man's neck and twisted his hands.
[Iron Lion - Lion Bite]
*CRACK*
The man's neck broke. He widened his eyes in shock and started choking up on his own blood.
''BASTARD!'' A scream of a woman in her 20s was heard, she was the man's wife and now he died in front of her eyes.
She stabbed her dagger forwards, but Ichiro easily dodged it.
He put his hand on a spear-like stance and thrusted his arm forwards.
*SPURT*
His arm pierced through the woman's torso. In Ichiro's hand, a heart was seen.
''UGH!'' The woman coughed out blood, but soon she died as well.
''Focus on the task! Not on anger!'' The young man in his 18s advised.
Three other figures around him nodded their heads.
They circled around Ichiro with their daggers, ready to take a life.
''Hiyah!'' A first figure did the first move.
Ichiro smirked and suddenly a dagger appeared in his hand! He took it from the dead woman.
His arm became blurry and the dagger flew through the air like a cannon!
*STAB*
The dagger hit the first figure on the forehead, killing him instantly.
Finally, the remaining figures felt fear!
''W-We work for League of Assassins! D-Don't push your luck!'' The young man in his 18s said with a shaky tone.
Ichiro snorted and appeared behind him.
''I don't give a sh*t.'' He put his hand on his nape and twisted.
[Iron Twist]
The head spun around like an owl's, only the sound of bone cracking was heard.
The young man managed to whimper something until he fell dead as well.
The last two remaining figures decided to retreat, but out of nowhere, Ichiro appeared in front of him with two daggers!
*STAB*
*STAB*
He stabbed the dagger deep inside their throats.
The two figures fell down on the ground, they rolled in agony for a few seconds, before they choked on their own blood.
Ichiro turned his head towards one of the VIP stands where a man with a large head was looking at him with visible anger.
''Hmph.'' Ichiro snorted and walked away.
Leaving six corpses behind.